Rodri’s Real Madrid move collapsed as Barcelona close in on Manchester City midfielder

Rodri is nearing a move to Barcelona after deciding against joining Real Madrid, despite negotiations with the Spanish giants having previously reached an advanced stage.

The Manchester City midfielder’s decision followed three concerns he raised during talks with Real Madrid, according to Spanish journalist Ramon Alvarez de Mon. The reported objections centred on the club’s delay in pursuing him, doubts over its sporting project and concerns about problems within the dressing room.

Alvarez de Mon said on his YouTube channel that Rodri met Real Madrid chief executive Jose Angel Sanchez after the end of the World Cup. During that meeting, the Spain international indicated that he was open to joining the club and wearing the famous white shirt.

However, Rodri also expressed three major reservations, which ultimately influenced the course of the negotiations and contributed to the transfer collapsing.

Real Madrid’s delayed approach

Rodri’s first concern was the timing of Real Madrid’s interest. The club did not move decisively for him at an early stage, while repeated reports suggested president Florentino Perez was not convinced that the deal should be pursued.

Real Madrid’s interest intensified only after the club received confirmation that Rodri’s knee was healthy. His outstanding performances at the World Cup, where he was named the tournament’s best player, also strengthened his market value and encouraged the club to increase its efforts to sign him.

Despite that late push, Rodri is understood to have questioned why Real Madrid had not made him a clear priority from the beginning.

His second criticism related to the club’s sporting project. He had reservations about the way Real Madrid handled the negotiations and the timing of its approach, believing the club’s desire to sign him had not been sufficiently clear at the outset.

Although discussions progressed, those doubts affected Rodri’s confidence in the move and encouraged him to examine other opportunities available in the transfer market.

Concerns over Real Madrid’s dressing room

The most sensitive issue, according to Alvarez de Mon’s account, involved reports of problems inside Real Madrid’s dressing room.

The journalist said Rodri told the club’s representatives that he had heard about difficulties within the squad. Real Madrid therefore had to offer him explanations about the situation inside the dressing room before the two sides could continue their discussions.

The club eventually addressed the demands made by the player and reached a preliminary agreement over his transfer. At that point, the move appeared close to completion, particularly because Rodri had been willing to relocate to the Spanish capital.

But Real Madrid did not give the deal absolute priority while it negotiated with Manchester City. The club was also focused on other matters, including a move for Ousmane Diomande and a new contract for Vinicius Junior.

Barcelona change the picture

Barcelona took advantage of Real Madrid’s hesitation and entered the race strongly. Rodri was then faced with two different options before ultimately leaning towards the Catalan club.

He is said to have concluded that Barcelona’s project was better suited to his ambitions, both professionally and personally. His existing relationships with several Barcelona players who represent Spain also helped influence his decision.

Rodri was further persuaded by the club’s footballing approach, which he believes matches his qualities and preferred style of play.

An agreement has reportedly been reached over the player’s financial terms with Barcelona. The remaining step is for Barcelona and Manchester City to finalise their agreement before the transfer can be made official.

A deal that once appeared likely to take Rodri to Real Madrid has therefore moved in a different direction. His doubts, Real Madrid’s failure to act decisively and Barcelona’s timely intervention have changed the midfielder’s future, with a move to Camp Nou now close to completion.